A friend of mine recently passed away unexpectedly. He was not someone that I saw regularly but he was a friend to me as well as being an ex colleague and, as always, death causes a reflection on life and a pause for thought.
He was someone who I admire for the following reasons:
1) He wasn’t afraid to be different (in fact I think that he thrived on it) – he was tall and loud and wore a wide brimmed hat.
2) He said what he thought, even if others didn’t like it. He made some enemies but he stood up for what he believed in.
3) He was embracing a new career in teaching and was able to project a joy in his new work.
4) He was supportive and encouraging to me, I once had an hour long phone call with him from a beach in Gozo, about a job interview that he had helped me to get. He also showed his vulnerability and shared his own difficulties in order to help others.
You will be greatly missed and the world is a lesser place because you have gone.
In tribute I have recorded a Devonshire poem (an extract from Dart by Alice Oswald), for a man who was proud to be part of the Devon community.
